2008-03-26 Still We Speak Rally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:    Media: Barbara Ross 917.494.8164
                     Legal: Wylie Stecklow 212.566.8000

VIDEO EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL POLICE ACTION TO BE PRESENTED AT STILL WE SPEAK RALLY Cyclists join forces with community supporters to stop NYPD First Amendment abuses, one year after unconstitutional parade permit rules were enacted

WHAT: Still We Speak Rally followed by Critical Mass Ride

WHEN: Friday, March 28th at 7:00 pm

WHERE: Union Square Park North, 17th Street & Park Avenue

New York, NY (March 26, 2008) – This Friday, March 28th, Critical Mass participants will be joined by a diverse group of videographers, artists, activists and community leaders outraged over NYPD regulatory constraints on the civil liberties of New Yorkers. Prominent speakers from the community will participate in the “Still We Speak” rally to denounce the NYPD’s First Amendment abuses, including the parade permit rules which limit the number of people who can legally assemble in a public place.

Video evidence presented at the rally will show a high ranking police officer, Sgt. Timothy Horohoe, violating a federal consent decree while arresting two people documenting police activity in Times Square during the March, 2007 Critical Mass ride. The NYPD’s harassment of citizens who document police activity is a direct violation of a federal consent decree and is also prohibited by the NYPD’s own Patrol Guide. This infringement on the First Amendment rights of the camerapersons resulted in an ongoing CCRB investigation and a request to the Attorney General, US Attorney and District Attorney to bring perjury charges against the arresting Sergeant for false statements contained in the criminal complaints that were brought and dismissed against the two camerapersons.

Civil Rights Attorney, Norman Siegel will join others to demand that the arbitrary 50-person permit rule be overturned. “It does not make legal or constitutional sense and it creates an unnecessary burden and chill on First Amendment rights to peaceful protests.” says Siegel.

Rally participants will include Norman Siegel; Wylie Stecklow, Attorney for arrested camerpersons; Christian Gutierrez, videographer arrested March 2007, Reverend Billy & the Church of Stop Shopping Choir; Nikita, Time’s Up! Video Collective Coordinator and Jessica Rechtschaffer, Radical Homosexual Agenda
 
Links to relevant video footage, photos and documents:

VIDEOS: *Overview of illegal police action on 3/30/2007 (2:45 min) *Detailed evidence showing false statements contained in criminal complaints (12 min)
*In-dept documentary, Some Assembly Required, of illegal police actions 3/30/07 (17:30 min)

PHOTOS: *Still We Speak Rally March 2008
*Critical Mass March 2008

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TIME’S UP! is a non-profit environmental group that has been using educational outreach and direct action for the last 20 years to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city.
 

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